The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has initiated a refund claims process for consumers who purchased treatment plans from Golden Sunrise Nutraceutical, Inc. The products were deceptively marketed as remedies for COVID-19, cancer, and Parkinson’s disease.
In June 2021, the FTC announced a settlement with the medical director of Golden Sunrise. Dr. Stephen Meis agreed to settle charges that he participated in falsely advertising a $23,000 treatment plan as an effective cure for COVID-19. He also made unproven claims regarding treatments for cancer and Parkinson’s disease. As part of the settlement, Dr. Meis is prohibited from making unsupported health claims in the future and was ordered to pay $103,420 to provide refunds to consumers.
The FTC is notifying 581 consumers who bought specific products from Golden Sunrise between July 2017 and July 2020. These products include the Primary Plan of Care, Emergency D-Virus Plan of Care, Metabolic Plan of Care, and Cancer Plan of Care.
Consumers eligible for refunds can submit their claims online at www.ftc.gov/GoldenSunrise. The payment amounts will vary based on several factors, including the number of claim submissions received.
The deadline for filing a claim is April 6, 2025. Consumers seeking assistance with filing can contact 844-804-3922 or email info@goldensunriserefund.com. The FTC emphasizes that it does not require payment or account information from individuals submitting a claim or receiving a refund.
The Commission's interactive dashboards offer state-by-state breakdowns of refunds related to FTC cases. In 2023 alone, FTC actions resulted in $330 million being refunded to consumers nationwide.
The Federal Trade Commission's mission is to promote competition while protecting and educating consumers. It reassures that it will never demand money or make threats and encourages reporting scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
